abolish speed limits

[Aizen]

abolish speed limits

[Franzl]

I wouldn't necessarily abolish them, but speed limits in the U.S. are a sad joke.

[Mint]

Terrible idea. A lot of people would take advantage of that in reckless ways. Plus our oil consumption would go up even more. If anything, maybe we should consider a national speed limit again.

[Franzl]

Terrible idea. A lot of people would take advantage of that in reckless ways. Plus our oil consumption would go up even more. If anything, maybe we should consider a national speed limit again.

No offense...but national speed is just a lazy way of trying to reduce consumption. Encourage smaller and more efficient cars..that makes a much bigger difference than forcing people to drive like snails.

A small Ford Fiesta driving at 90 mph surely uses less fuel than a Dodge Ram at 55.

[CultureKing]

Terrible idea. A lot of people would take advantage of that in reckless ways. Plus our oil consumption would go up even more. If anything, maybe we should consider a national speed limit again.

No offense...but national speed is just a lazy way of trying to reduce consumption. Encourage smaller and more efficient cars..that makes a much bigger difference than forcing people to drive like snails.

A small Ford Fiesta driving at 90 mph surely uses less fuel than a Dodge Ram at 55.

Why not do both? It isn't as if we have to choose between speed limits and efficient cars. Personally I think a 60 mph national speed limit plus more efficient cars would be a good idea. No speed limits are not an option, especially in areas with significant populations.

[Franzl]

Terrible idea. A lot of people would take advantage of that in reckless ways. Plus our oil consumption would go up even more. If anything, maybe we should consider a national speed limit again.

No offense...but national speed is just a lazy way of trying to reduce consumption. Encourage smaller and more efficient cars..that makes a much bigger difference than forcing people to drive like snails.

A small Ford Fiesta driving at 90 mph surely uses less fuel than a Dodge Ram at 55.

Why not do both? It isn't as if we have to choose between speed limits and efficient cars. Personally I think a 60 mph national speed limit plus more efficient cars would be a good idea. No speed limits are not an option, especially in areas with significant populations.

Of course there should be speed limits in urban areas.....but try driving through Montana or Nebraska at 60 mph.

It's simply mean.

Seriously though, if gas becomes expensive enough....the market will take care of people driving fast. It's not an area that I think the government should get involved. (beyond reasonable speed limits in high density areas and residential areas and such)

[Mint]

Terrible idea. A lot of people would take advantage of that in reckless ways. Plus our oil consumption would go up even more. If anything, maybe we should consider a national speed limit again.

No offense...but national speed is just a lazy way of trying to reduce consumption. Encourage smaller and more efficient cars..that makes a much bigger difference than forcing people to drive like snails.

A small Ford Fiesta driving at 90 mph surely uses less fuel than a Dodge Ram at 55.

Why not do both? It isn't as if we have to choose between speed limits and efficient cars. Personally I think a 60 mph national speed limit plus more efficient cars would be a good idea. No speed limits are not an option, especially in areas with significant populations.

Pretty much sums up my thoughts. I'd invest a lot in alternative energy, public transportation, etc. too though. Actually I'd say the real problem is our highly inefficient (and heavily subsidized) suburban lifestyle. I can understand wanting some space from downtown but there's no reason to have endless stretches of nothing where you literally can't survive without a car.

[Franzl]

Terrible idea. A lot of people would take advantage of that in reckless ways. Plus our oil consumption would go up even more. If anything, maybe we should consider a national speed limit again.

No offense...but national speed is just a lazy way of trying to reduce consumption. Encourage smaller and more efficient cars..that makes a much bigger difference than forcing people to drive like snails.

A small Ford Fiesta driving at 90 mph surely uses less fuel than a Dodge Ram at 55.

Why not do both? It isn't as if we have to choose between speed limits and efficient cars. Personally I think a 60 mph national speed limit plus more efficient cars would be a good idea. No speed limits are not an option, especially in areas with significant populations.

Pretty much sums up my thoughts. I'd invest a lot in alternative energy, public transportation, etc. too though. Actually I'd say the real problem is our highly inefficient (and heavily subsidized) suburban lifestyle. I can understand wanting some space from downtown but there's no reason to have endless stretches of nothing where you literally can't survive without a car.

Shouldn't it be a state thing though? Why should people in Idaho have to drive just as slow as in Rhode Island?

And in general, just because you don't have a speed limit, doesn't mean that everyone will drive as fast as they can. I see plenty of people on the Autobahn everyday (including myself) that drive somewhere around 75 mph or so. I'm extremely confident that much much much less fuel is used daily per motorist on the Autobahn than on the American interstate. I even get over 40 mpg at that speed.

I just get the impression that people that seriously suggest draconian speed limits like 55 or 60 mph are more reactionaries and not people that really care about solving the underlying problem. It's much more convenient to tell everyone to simply drive more slowly without addressing the bigger problem of huge trucks and SUVs and other parts of how people go about with energy. I've been in enough fast food drive thrus in the States. How many people turn off their motor?

It's just one of these topics that gets me aggrevated. Sorry if that sounded harsh

[CultureKing]

Terrible idea. A lot of people would take advantage of that in reckless ways. Plus our oil consumption would go up even more. If anything, maybe we should consider a national speed limit again.

No offense...but national speed is just a lazy way of trying to reduce consumption. Encourage smaller and more efficient cars..that makes a much bigger difference than forcing people to drive like snails.

A small Ford Fiesta driving at 90 mph surely uses less fuel than a Dodge Ram at 55.

Why not do both? It isn't as if we have to choose between speed limits and efficient cars. Personally I think a 60 mph national speed limit plus more efficient cars would be a good idea. No speed limits are not an option, especially in areas with significant populations.

Of course there should be speed limits in urban areas.....but try driving through Montana or Nebraska at 60 mph.

It's simply mean.

Seriously though, if gas becomes expensive enough....the market will take care of people driving fast. It's not an area that I think the government should get involved. (beyond reasonable speed limits in high density areas and residential areas and such)

Do you really think that people will drive slower because of high gas prices? No, they don't think about things like that, they may think about istances and more efficient cars but I doubt that they would consider lowering their speeds. And when it comes to rural drivers I basically am one, the only drive I make now is to and from Spokane from Olympia, and I am fine driving at say 60-65 the entire time (even if the trip is 5-6 hours).

[John Dibble]

Terrible idea. A lot of people would take advantage of that in reckless ways. Plus our oil consumption would go up even more. If anything, maybe we should consider a national speed limit again.

No offense...but national speed is just a lazy way of trying to reduce consumption. Encourage smaller and more efficient cars..that makes a much bigger difference than forcing people to drive like snails.

A small Ford Fiesta driving at 90 mph surely uses less fuel than a Dodge Ram at 55.

Why not do both? It isn't as if we have to choose between speed limits and efficient cars. Personally I think a 60 mph national speed limit plus more efficient cars would be a good idea. No speed limits are not an option, especially in areas with significant populations.

[rant]Are you f**king kidding me? 60mph? What are you on, crack? You want me to lengthen the time it takes me to go to and from work every goddamn day? It already takes half an hour if I can manage to go 80. Hell, that'll also make it take a lot longer for me to get to my parents' house when I visit them, which is a two hour drive both ways at 80. If you want to drive like an old Asian woman then be my guest, but some of us have better things to do than spend half the day in the car.[/rant]

Thank you, this has been a public service rant. If you were offended by this rant, then please write an essay detailing why you were offended and send it to your nearest cemetary. That is all.

[Lief 🗽]

Germany has the right idea with regards to this issue.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Anyone who supports a national speed limit of 60mph has obviously never driven on the interstate in North Dakota.

[Matt Damon™]

If we had 1-5% of the people on the road that we do now we wouldn't need speed limits.

[cinyc]

Terrible idea. A lot of people would take advantage of that in reckless ways. Plus our oil consumption would go up even more. If anything, maybe we should consider a national speed limit again.

No they wouldn't.  80% of people will end up driving the prevailing reasonable and safe speed on the road taking into account road conditions, regardless of the actual speed limit.  Artificially low speed limits are just ways for the government to increase revenue by making law breakers out of everyone.

The last thing we need is a national speed limit.  There's no reason why someone shouldn't drive 75 in the middle of nowheresville North Dakota on a sunny day.  That wouldn't be prudent during rush hour in Hartford.  One size does not fit all.

[Matt Damon™]

Problems with oil consumption come from having large amounts of drivers on the road period.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     It would be nice to get rid of them, though Americans drive too badly for that to happen.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Terrible idea. A lot of people would take advantage of that in reckless ways. Plus our oil consumption would go up even more. If anything, maybe we should consider a national speed limit again.

People can go 55.  The minimum on highways is never above 55.  They can stay in the right lane and conserve gas if they want.  But for people like me, let us go 70 (or 100).